Content delivery systems such as cable television systems, satellite television systems and Internet protocol television systems (IPTV) often deliver content, such as television programming from a head end system which is operated by a service provider to one or more receivers operating within the content delivery system.
Such content delivery systems often have a limited amount of bandwidth available to deliver content. For example, wireless content delivery systems such as satellite television systems may be required to deliver signals within a specific portion of the wireless spectrum. Similarly, wired content delivery systems, such as cable television systems, operate over a wired transmission medium which has a finite amount of usable bandwidth.
The availability of bandwidth for content delivery may be further limited where service providers provide other services in addition to content delivery system services. For example, service providers may operate a voice communication service and/or an Internet service over a transmission medium which they also use for content delivery system services (such as television delivery services). Each of these services may require bandwidth in the transmission medium, thus reducing the overall availability of bandwidth in the transmission medium.
Thus there exists a need for systems and methods of managing bandwidth in content delivery systems.
Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elements and features.